This document lists and provides brief descriptions of 10 common sexually transmitted diseases: Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, HIV/AIDS, Syphilis, Trichomoniasis, Genital Herpes, Scabies, Crabs (Pubic Lice), Hepatitis, and Bacterial Vaginosis. It focuses on Chlamydia, providing details on symptoms, diagnosis/testing, treatment, prevention, and complications if left untreated, such as pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. For Gonorrhea, it discusses causes, prevalence, symptoms, diagnosis, and testing. For HIV/AIDS, it summarizes what it is, how it is contracted and spread, the incubation period, symptoms,

1. Name of common Sexually Transmitted Diseases
1. Chlamydia
2. Gonorrhea
3. HIV/AIDS
4. Syphilis
5. Trichomoniasis
6. Genital Herpes
7. Scabies (SKAY-beez)
8. Crabs (Pubic Lice
9. Hepatitis
10.Bacterial Vaginosis (BV)s
1. Chlamydia:
Though it's one of the most common and curable sexually transmitted diseases in both
genders, Chlamydia is often symptomless and goes untreated. When it does, the
consequences in women can be particularly severe, resulting in chronic pelvic pain or infertility.
About 4 million Americans are infected each year with chlamydia, a bacterial infection that can
spread through the genital tract from various types of sexual contact, according to the Mayo
Clinic. Teens and young adults are most often affected, according to the American Social
Health Association (ASHA).
Symptoms
Chlamydia is considered a silent condition because most of those infected experience no
symptoms, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Symptoms that do
appear usually occur within one to three weeks of infection.
In women, they include:
 Vaginal discharge
 Burning or pain while urinating
 Lower abdominal pain
 Nausea
 Fever
 Pain during intercourse
 Bleeding between periods
In men, they include:
 Penis discharge
 Burning or pain while urinating
 Burning or itching in opening of penis
 Testicular pain
 Uncommonly, pain and swelling of the testicles
Complications of untreated Chlamydia can be serious for both genders. In addition to pelvic
pain and infertility in women, this STD can result in pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which
can damage the ovaries, uterus and fallopian tubes. In men, a Chlamydia infection can lead to
conditions such as prostitutes, an inflammation of the prostate gland; or epididymitis an
inflammation of the coiled tube (the epididymis) internally located beside each testicle.
In both men and women, rectal inflammation can result for those who engage in anal sex,
leading to pain and mucus discharge, according to the Mayo Clinic. Even newborns can

2. contract the infection if it passes through the birth canal from mother to baby during childbirth.
These babies can suffer from pneumonia or a severe eye infection just after birth.
Diagnosis & Tests
Because chlamydia is hard to detect, the CDC recommends screening tests for sexually active
women age 24 or under, pregnant women, and men and women at higher risk because of
multiple sex partners or another existing STD.
Whether to screen or diagnose the disease, the laboratory tests involved are the same. They
include:
 A urine test to look for bacterial cells
 A swab of the cervix or end of the penis, which can detect either the bacteria or the presence
of an antigen to the infection (the anus may also be swabbed in some cases)
Treatments & Medications
Chlamydia is an easily treatable and curable condition, according to the CDC. Oral antibiotics
are most commonly used, including azithromycin (known as the brand name Zithromax),
doxycycline and erythromycin. These may be prescribed as a one-time dose or a daily dose
over five to 10 days.
According to the ASHA, chlamydia can be transmitted to a sexual partner until antibiotic
treatment is completed. The infection usually clears within two weeks. To prevent re-infection,
sexual partners should also be treated regardless of the presence of symptoms, according to
the Mayo Clinic.
Prevention
The only fail-safe way to prevent chlamydia is to abstain from sexual contact with others. Ways
to reduce risk include:
 Using condoms during every sexual encounter
 Limiting the number of sex partners
 Undergoing regular screenings
Also called the "clap" or "drip," gonorrhea is a contagious disease transmitted most often
through sexual contact with an infected person. Gonorrhea may also be spread by contact with
infected bodily fluids, so that a mother could pass on the infection to
her newborn during childbirth. Both men and women can get gonorrhea. The infection is easily
spread and occurs most often in people who have many sex partners.
2. Gonorrhea
What Causes
Gonorrhea is caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a bacterium that can grow and multiply easily
in mucus membranes of the body. Gonorrhea bacteria can grow in the warm, moist areas of
the reproductive tract, including the cervix (opening to the womb), uterus (womb), and fallopian
tubes (egg canals) in women, and in the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to
outside the body) in women and men. The bacteria can also grow in the mouth, throat, and
anus.
How Common Is Gonorrhea?
Gonorrhea is a very common infectious disease in the U.S. Each year, according to the CDC,
there are as many as 700,000 new cases, with less than half of them reported to the CDC.
There were 309,341 reported cases of gonorrhea in the U.S. in 2010. Sexually active
teenagers have one of the highest rates of reported infections.

3. How Do I Know If I Have Gonorrhea?
Not all people infected with gonorrhea have symptoms, so knowing when to seek treatment
can be tricky. When symptoms do occur, they are often within two to 10 days after exposure,
but they can take up to 30 days to develop and include the following:
Gonorrhea symptoms in women
 Greenish yellow or whitish discharge from the vagina
 Lower abdominal or pelvic pain
 Burning when urinating
 Conjunctivitis (red, itchy eyes)
 Bleeding between periods
 Spotting after intercourse
 Swelling of the vulva (vulvitis)
 Burning in the throat (due to oral sex)
 Swollen glands in the throat (due to oral sex)
In some women, symptoms are so mild that they escape unnoticed.
Many women with gonorrhea discharge think they have a yeast infection and self-treat with
over-the-counter yeast infection drug. Because vaginal discharge can be a sign of a number of
different problems, it is best to always seek the advice of a doctor to ensure proper diagnosis
and treatment.
Gonorrhea symptoms in men
 Greenish yellow or whitish discharge from the penis
 Burning when urinating
 Burning in the throat (due to oral sex)
 Painful or swollen testicles
 Swollen glands in the throat (due to oral sex)
In men, symptoms usually appear two to 14 days after infection.
How Is Gonorrhea Diagnosed?
To diagnose gonorrhea, your doctor will use a swab to take a sample of fluid from the urethra
in men or from the cervix in women. The specimen will then be sent to a lab to be analyzed.
You also may be given a throat or anal culture to see if the infection is in your throat or anus.
There are other tests which check a urine sample for the presence of the bacteria. You may
need to wait for several days for your tests to come back from the lab.
Gonorrhea and Chlamydia, another common sexually transmitted disease, often occur
together, so you may be tested and treated for both.
3. HIV / AIDS
What is it? HIV is the acronym for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, a virus that attacks the
body's immune system, leading to full-blown AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome).
AIDS is devastating because it leaves the body susceptible to life-threatening infections and
certain kinds of cancers.
How is it contracted? Through oral, anal, or vaginal sex, and from an HIV-positive mother to
her baby. To prevent it, use a condom every time you have sex; find out the sexual history of
any new partners, including their HIV status; and don't share needles if you do intravenous
drugs. If you're pregnant and are HIV-positive, talk to your doctor about how to prevent passing
the virus along to your child.

4.  Incubation Period: Some people develop symptoms shortly after being infected, but for
many it takes more than ten years for symptoms to appear.
 HIV is not spread through
1. the air
2. sweat or tears
3. mosquitos
4. donating blood
5. touching, such as shaking hands or hugging
6. contact with objects, such as eating utensils
 Symptoms: Most symptoms of AIDS are not caused directly by HIV, but by an infection
or other condition brought on by a weakened immune system. These include severe
weight loss, fever, headache, night sweats, fatigue, severe diarrhea, shortness of
breath, and difficulty swallowing. The symptoms tend to last for weeks or months at a
time and do not go away without treatment. In some cases, infections result in death.
 Testing: A blood test can tell you if you have HIV. Anyone who is sexually active and
unsure of the sexual history or HIV status of their partner(s) should be tested every
year.
 Treatment: So far, there is no cure for AIDS, but some drug regimens that combine
medications such as AZT (Retrovir) with ritonavir or norvir are proving effective at
strengthening immunity and keeping infections at bay, thereby prolonging the lives of
many AIDS sufferers. Combination drug therapy has benefited many people for years,
but it is still unclear how long the drugs will remain effective, especially since
effectiveness varies significantly from person to person.
The drugs must also be taken in large quantities, usually on a daily basis, and there are
many side effects. When drug treatment is stopped, new symptoms can arise, or old
ones return. If you're pregnant and HIV-positive, taking AZT throughout the pregnancy
and during delivery can reduce the chances that the virus will be transmitted to the
baby.
 If you are not treated: HIV progresses more rapidly into full-blown AIDS without
treatment, usually because of infections that develop as a result of the patient's
weakened immune system.
4. SYPHILIS (SIFF-i-lis)
 What is it? A bacterial infection caused by an organism called a spirochete.
 How is it contracted? Through oral, anal, or vaginal sex, or via intimate touching or kissing.
Mothers can pass it to their babies by touching syphilis sores (chancres) and then touching the
baby.
 Incubation Period: One week to three months
 Symptoms: During the first stage of a syphilis infection, painless sores or open ulcers may
appear on the anus, vagina, penis, or inside the mouth, and occasionally on other parts of the

5. body. During the second stage (roughly three weeks to three months after the first symptoms
appear), an infected person may experience flu-like symptoms and possibly hair loss or a rash
on the soles and palms -- and in some cases all over the body. There are also latent phases of
syphilis infection during which symptoms are absent.
 Testing: Diagnosis of syphilis is done through a blood test and/or examination of secretions
from chancres.
 Treatment: Antibiotics -Benzathine penicillin G 2.4 mU intramuscular injection
or Doxycycline 100 mg by mouth 2-3 times a days for 14 days.
If you are not treated: Untreated syphilis can lead to serious damage to the brain and the
nervous system; mental deterioration; a loss of balance, vision, and sensation; leg pain; and
heart disease. A fetus is at particular risk if the mother doesn't seek treatment; the chances for
stillbirth and serious birth defects, including blindness, are very high.
5. TRICHOMONIASIS (trick-oh-mo-NEYE-ah-s)
Trichomoniasis, (also called "trich") is a common sexually transmitted disease (STD) that
affects both men and women. Trichomoniasis is caused by a protozoan parasite
called Trichomonas vaginalisand is a cause of vaginal infections in women and urethral
infections in men. Trichomoniasis is an STD that affects approximately 5 million people in the
US every year. Trichomoniasis is one of the most common, curable causes of vaginal
infections in women.
How is Trichomoniasis contracted?
Trichomoniasis is spread through sexual contact, as all other STD's. Transmission can occur
even if a person does not have symptoms of infection. Women contract trichomoniasis from
infected male or female partners while men usually contract it only from female partners. Using
condoms and/or dental dams provide some protection. Their use is strongly encouraged, but is
not 100% safe. Trichomoniasis can also survive on infected objects like sheets, towels, and
underwear and could be transmitted by sharing them.
Trichomoniasis Incubation Period
If symptoms appear, it usually takes from 3 to 28 days for them to develop.
Symptoms
Many people with trichomoniasis experience no symptoms. If there are symptoms, the most
common trichomoniasis symptoms include:
Symptoms in Women
o Genital itching and/or burning
o Vaginal or vulval redness
o Frothy yellow-green vaginal discharge with a strong odor
o Blood spotting
o Frequent and/or painful urination
o Discomfort during intercourse
o Abdominal pain
A woman might also find that the above symptoms worsen after menstruation and that the
symptoms may be confused with an yeast infection. This fact emphasizes the importance of
always having an yeast infection diagnosed properly, because it might not be an yeast
infection.
Symptoms in Men
Men are usually asymptomatic, but if a man has symptoms, they can include:
o Unusual penile discharge

6. o Painful urination
o Burning sensation after ejaculation
o Tingling inside the penis.
Testing
A medical provider will take a swab of fluid from a male's urethra or from a female's vagina and
will examine it under a microscope to see if trichomoniasis is present.
Treatment
Antibiotics - Metronidazole 500mg 2-3 times a day for 7-10 days. It is especially important that
both partners are treated at the same time because an infected man, even a man who has
never had symptoms or whose symptoms have stopped, can continue to infect a female
partner until he has been treated. Anyone being treated for trichomoniasis should avoid sex
until they and their sex partners have completed the treatment.
If you are not treated
As mentioned above, trichomoniasis is one of the most common and most curable STD's. The
symptoms are more annoying than they are threatening to your health. The genital
inflammation caused by trichomoniasis might however, increase a person's risk of acquiring
HIV infection if s/he is exposed to HIV or might also increase the chances of transmitting HIV
infection to a sex partner. In rare case, trichomoniasis in pregnant women may cause a
premature rupture of the membranes and early delivery.
6. HERPES (Herpes Simplex)
What is it? Two types of a viral infection characterized by periodic outbreaks of painful sores.
Stress, sunburn, and certain foods are the primary causes of a herpes outbreak.
How is it contracted? Both herpes simplex virus-1 and virus-2 may be transmitted through
sex, or by kissing or touching any affected area. A condom can prevent herpes transmission
during vaginal or anal sex, but oral contact with genitals or open sores anywhere can spread
the disease. Washing hands can also minimize transmission.
Incubation Period: Anywhere from five to twenty days
Symptoms: Herpes simplex virus-1 usually shows up as cold sores or blisters. For those who
have herpes simplex virus-2, some have no symptoms, while others may show signs of an
infection from five to twenty days after having sex with an infected partner. Early symptoms
can include a burning sensation in the genitals, low back pain, pain when urinating, and flu-like
symptoms. A short while later, small red bumps may appear around the genitals or on the
mouth; later these bumps become painful blisters which then crust over, form a scab, and heal.
Testing: Your doctor will examine the sores and test fluid from the blisters.
Treatment: Symptoms can be relieved with medications such as acyclovir.
Genital Herpes: Acyclovir 200-400mg three times a day for 10 days;
Herpes prophylaxis: Acyclovir 200-400mg twice a day
Herpes zoster (shingles): Acyclovir 800mg 5 times a day for 10 days
If you are not treated: While herpes is not life-threatening, and not all people who have it
suffer from outbreaks, those who do experience outbreaks find that topical medication
as Zovirax ointment eases the pain and can help speed recovery when blisters appear.
7. SCABIES (SKAY-beez)
What is it? A mite that burrows under the skin and lays eggs.
How is it contracted? Through close contact or through sleeping in bedding or wearing
clothes that are infested. Rarely, holding or shaking hands can transmit scabies.

7. Incubation Period:As long as a week if it's the first time you've been infested; a day if it's a
recurrence.
Symptoms:Signs of a scabies infestation include intense itching, or small bumps or a rash on
the penis, between the fingers, on buttocks, breasts, wrists, thighs, or around the navel.
Testing: A dermatologist will perform several different tests on the surface of the skin.
Treatment: Creams and lotions containing permethrin such as Rid and Nix must be applied to
the whole body from the neck down. (As with pubic lice, products containing lindane may be
harmful to the fetus if used by a pregnant woman; check with your doctor.) Change clothing
and sleep on freshly laundered sheets after you've applied the lotion. Any bedding or clothing
that may have been infested should be washed with very hot water or dry-cleaned.
If you are not treated: Continued scratching can cause an infection, and if it left untreated,
scabies can be transmitted to anyone you come in close contact with.
8. CRABS (Pubic Lice)
What is it? Tiny insects that live off human blood. Although they're often found around the
genitals, they can live in any part of the body with hair.
How is it contracted? Through sexual transmission, skin-to-skin contact, or in clothing,
bedding, or on a toilet seat harboring the insects.
Incubation Period: As long as a week if it's the first time you've had pubic lice; as little as a
day if this is a recurrence.
Symptoms: Itching in the genital area or any other part of the body with hair.
Testing: Pubic lice are very small, whitish-gray parasites that look like crabs. You'll be able to
see the insects or their eggs (which are pearl-colored and oval-shaped) in your hair. You may
notice that the skin under your hair is red and scaly, or there may be small blue spots -- signs
of lice bites. If you're unsure whether or not you have lice, see your doctor.
Treatment: Over-the-counter lotions that contain the chemical permethrin such as Rid and Nix
will get rid of the lice. (Talk to your doctor before using any product that containsss the
chemical lindane, which can be toxic, especially for unborn children.) After washing with the
lotion, use a fine-toothed comb to comb out the crabs and their eggs (called nits). Your sexual
partner(s) must be treated as well, and all clothing or bedding that may be infested must be
washed in very hot water or dry-cleaned. In some cases, clothing, towels, or bedding may
need to be washed a few times before they're completely lice-free.
If you are not treated: If you don't seek treatment you're likely to pass pubic lice on to any
sexual partners, or anyone else you're in close contact with.
9. HEPATITIS
What is it? There are five types of hepatitis -- A through E -- all of which cause inflammation of
the liver. Type D affects only those who also have hepatitis B, and hepatitis E is extremely rare
in the United States.
How is it contracted?
Type A hepatitis is contracted through anal-oral contact, by coming in contact with the feces of
someone with hepatitis A, or by eating or drinking hepatitis A contaminated food or water.
Type B hepatitis can be contracted from infected blood, seminal fluid, vaginal secretions, or
contaminated drug needles, including tattoo or body-piercing equipment. It can also be spread
from a mother to her newborn.
Type C hepatitis is not easily spread through sex. You're more likely to get it through contact
with infected blood, contaminated razors, needles, tattoo and body-piercing equipment, or

8. manicure or pedicure tools that haven't been properly sanitized, and a mother can pass it to
her baby during delivery.
Type D hepatitis can be passed through contact with infected blood, contaminated needles, or
by sexual contact with an HIV-infected person.
Type E hepatitis is most likely to be transmitted in feces, through oral contact, or in water that's
been contaminated.
Incubation Period: Two weeks to five months, although hepatitis C can remain dormant for 10
years before symptoms crop up.
Symptoms: When symptoms are present, they are much the same for all five types of
hepatitis: mild flu-like symptoms, light stools, dark urine, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and the
whites of the eyes), fatigue, and fever. Hepatitis A symptoms may also include nausea,
vomiting, and abdominal pain.
Testing: All types of hepatitis are diagnosed with a blood test.
Treatment:
Types A and E hepatitis usually resolve over time. If you're traveling to a country where
hepatitis A is prevalent, two doses of a vaccine can prevent the disease. There's no vaccine for
hepatitis E. For hepatitis B, anti viral medications may help some patients. But like type A, a
vaccine that's given in three doses can prevent the disease in the first place.
(In fact, hepatitis B is the only STD that's preventable with a vaccine, according to Planned
Parenthood.) For hepatitis C and D, interferon and other drugs may help some patients, but
there is no vaccine for either type.
If you are not treated: Because types A and E usually go away over time, neither is likely to
lead to chronic disease. Types B and C, however, can lead to cirrhosis (scarring of the liver)
and liver cancer if not treated; type D can also result in liver cancer.
10.BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS (BV)
What is bacterial vaginosis? Bacterial vaginosis (BV) results from overgrowth of one of
several organisms that are normally present in the vagina, upsetting the natural balance of
vaginal bacteria. More than one in six women in the United States has bacterial vaginosis,
though many aren't aware of having it.
How is bacterial vaginosis contracted? Bacterial vaginosis (BV) results from an
overgrowth of organisms that are normally present in the vagina. Usually, "good" bacteria
outnumber "bad" bacteria in your vagina. But if bad bacteria become too numerous, they upset
the balance and bacterial vaginosis results. This type of vaginitis (bacterial vaginosis) can
spread during sexual intercourse, but it also occurs in people who aren't sexually active.
Women with new or multiple sex partners, as well as women who douche or use an
intrauterine device (IUD) for birth control, have a higher risk of bacterial vaginosis.
Bacterial vaginosis incubation period: Anywhere from 12 hours to five days
Symptoms of bacterial vaginosis: You may develop a grayish-white, foul-smelling
discharge. The odor, often described as fish-like, may be more obvious after sexual
intercourse.
Testing for bacterial vaginosis: Your doctor may take a sample of a cervical or vaginal
discharge for laboratory analysis
Treatment of bacterial vaginosis: Antibiotics - Metronidazole 500mg 2-3 times a day for 7-10
days.

9. If you are not treated: Bacterial vaginosis is usually not serious. In some cases, however, it
can cause infections in the uterus and fallopian tubes. It is important to treat bacterial
vaginosis, especially before having an IUD inserted, an abortion, or tests done on the uterine
lining. Both trichomoniasis and bacterial vaginosis have been linked to an increased risk of
transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted diseases